Main points of the Fine Gael/Labour economic document
Stamp duty
Raise the zero stamp duty threshold for first-time
buyers from €317,500 to 450,000, with duty paid only on the
excess over this
For other buyers, no stamp duty up to 100,000, 5 per cent on the next 350,000 and, on the balance, a 9 per cent rate
Tax
A 2 per cent cut in the standard rate of tax from 20
per cent to 18 per cent
An increase in personal credits in line with wage growth, increasing the personal and married credits to 2,000 and 4,000, respectively, by 2012
An increase in the home-carers' credit
Indexation of the standard-rate band to wage increases on an annual basis
On top of indexation, an additional 5,000 increase in the level at which one-income married couples hit the top rate of tax
Jobs
A commitment to maintain the current 12.5 per cent
corporation and capital gains taxes
Two-week statutory paid training leave, paid out of the National Training Fund, to upskill the workforce
25 per cent cut in the regulatory burden on companies Increased funding for research and development
Green issues
Rebalance the Vehicle Registration Tax to favour
lower-emission vehicles
Abolition of excise duty on biofuels from renewable energy crops
A stamp duty credit reducing prices of energy-efficient buildings in built-up areas
Decentralisation
An audit of existing proposals and a commitment to
proceed only with those which made good business sense
Reverse the decision to move some of the core policy planning units of government departments away from Dublin
Infrastructure
Speed up broadband roll-out
Fast-track electricity inter-connection, inter-urban roads and public transport development
Establish a Critical Infrastructure Commission to accelerate planning and establish a new High Court for Infrastructure to accelerate judicial review of planning decisions by An Bord Pleanála